Dipping tank



D. C. COOPER DIPPING TANK Nov. 22, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheetl Filed Aug. 6, 195s mw nu o n $69090 m ,M

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Nov. 22, 1955 Filed Aug. 6, 1953 D. c. cooPl-:R 2,724,392

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5 Sheets-Sheet 5 j?? few fof'. a/N/ 6. 6700/297' 2,724,392 Patented Nov. 22, 1955 UnitedStates Patent Office DIPPING TANK Daniel C. Cooper, Chicago, lll. Application August 6, 1953, Serial No. 372,659 s claims. (ci. 134-46) This invention relates in general to dipping tanks, and more `particularly to mechanism operable `to immerse articles to be coated or cleaned into` a tank containing a desired treating liquid and to automatically agitate the articles, while immersed, to effect a swashing movement thereof in the liquid. t u A principal object of the invention is to insure complete contact or coating of articles to be treated with a desired liquid,` and particularly articles having an irregular configuration `or a rough surface or apertures or recesses therein, without requiring the application of the treating liquid bythe useof external pressure.

Another important object is the provision of dipping tank mechanism which includes means for supporting articles to be treated and for irnmersing the same into `the tank, together with control means for causing automatic repeated oscillation ofthe article-supporting means while the latter maintains the articles submerged.

AI further object isto enable such control means to be selectively rendered inoperative soas to effect automatically repeated lowering and raising of the articlesupporting means relative to the tank between extreme upper and lower positions.

Another object `is to include manually operable control means in such dipping tank mechanism which may be selectively actuated to initiate or stop movement of the article-supporting means at any time.

A further important object of the invention is to avoid all possible tire` hazards with such dipping tank mechanism, so as to enable the safe usage of flammable treating liquids, by employing pneumatically operated means for actuating the same, together with automatic lireeittinguishing means.

Another principal feature of this invention is the provision of a re cover for such an open-top dipping tank normally constrained against movement from raised to lowered or closed position by a heat-fusible link, and meansA automatically actuated by the cover, during` the initial portion of downward` movement thereof, to actuate the control means so as to cause lowering of the articlesupporting means or tray out of the path of movement of the cover if the tray is in any but its lowermost position. i i

More specifically, this latter feature comprises the provision of a tire cover for an open-top dipping tank havingthe aforementioned article-supportingl tray and trayactuating means automatically controlled by tray-actuated control members and a control member movable in response to movement of the cover, as the same starts to move toward tank-closing position, to actuate the normally automatically operated p member t which causes lowering of the tray. This system` also is so arranged l p that, as the tray arrives in its lowermost position in response to such operation of thel control member, it will terminate operation of the actuating mechanism.

i Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the l 2 `following description, which, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings: p

Figure l is a perspective view of a dipping tank embodying the features of the instant invention, showing the article-supporting rack or tray in an upper position and the re cover'latched in its normal raised position;

Figure 2 is a vertical side view in partial cross section;

Figure 3 is a top plan view, showing the tire cover in closed position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view in partial cross section illustrating the lire cover; t

Figure 5 is a detail view on an enlarged scale,` showing theautomatically operated tire cover release mechanism in cover-retaining position;`

Figure 6 is a detail side view of the structure illustrated in Figure 5;4

Figure 7 is a schematic showing ofthe electrical control circuitsiassociated with the structures ofthe foregoing drawings; and

Figure 8 is a detail view, in partial 'cross section, of structural elements of the invention arranged for movement substantially within the dipping tank of Figure l.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 11 generally indicates a dipping tank of any suitable construction comprising a front wall 12 (Fig. 2), rear wall 13, bottom 14, right side or end wall 15 (Fig. 3), and left wall 16. These several wall members may be mounted and secured together in any desired manner and reinforced by means of suitable corner angles 17 and upper marginal rails 18. 11a indicates a` valved drain for the tank 11. The tank 11 is open at its top and is provided with a tire cover, indicated generally by reference numerals 19, which is shown in the! present` embodiment (Fig. 1) as comprising two doors 19 `hinget'ily mounted and normally maintained in substantially upright or raised position each adjacent one of the walls 15 and 16 of the tank. 19a indicates an auxiliary edge tire door hingedly mounted on one edge of the tank 11 running between-the side edges to which the doors 19 are hinged and adapted to surround certain mechanism extending upwardly above and from inside the tank 11". The: member 19a is formed to ride upon the movable elements of this mechanism" as it rises and lowers from and `into the tank 11. Such mounting of the fire covers 19 includes a pair of arms 21 secured at their inner ends p in any suitable manner to each door and pivotally mounted at their outer ends at 22on suitable brackets 23 extending from the tank and mounted thereon at their inner ends in any desired manner. Latch `mechanism is provided for normally maintaining the cover or covers 19 in the raised.- position of Figure l which comprises hooks 24 `pivotally mounted at their outer ends on upstanding arms 23a and engaging a latch hook 25 which in turn is pivotally mounted at 26 on each of the doors 19. This latch hook 25 extends through the cover and normally isconstrained against pivotal movement in a clockwise direction (viewing Fig. 6) by a heat-fusible link 27. As will be readily understood, if the treating liquid contained in the tank 11 catches tire, the link 27 will beA fused by the resultant heat to release the hook latch 25 for such pivotal movement in response to the weight of the cover 19, the hooks 24 and 25 thus being disengaged automatically to permit the cover to swing about its pivot 22, in response to gravity,`downwardly into tank-closing position. A spring 24a is secured to the hook Z4 and`to the arm 23a below the hook Z4 to bias it downwardly toward the tank and against the nose 25a of the latch hook 2S. |Thus when the link 27 is fused the spring 24a is effective to snap the hooks Z4 and 25 out of engagement. When the hooks are disengaged the spring 24a biases the hook 24 into engagement with the abutment 24b. This abutment positions the hook 24 in the line of movement of the latch hook 2S so that it will cam under the hook during latching of the doors 19 when they are raised.

The tank 11 also includes a pair of angle-shaped guide members 28 secured by welding, or the like, to the inner surface of the rear wall 13 A(Fig. l) which are spaced laterally from each other and extend vertically from the bottom of` the' tank to a substantial distance above the marginal rails,18. These angle members 28 and the rear wall,13 comprise means for guiding an article-supporting rack or trav, indicated generally by reference numeral 29, in vertical movements relative to the tank 11. This rack 29 comprises a horizontal frame portion 31 secured to a lower portion of a set of vertically upwardly extending. arms 32, 32a, 32b and extending forwardly therefrom, the frame portion and vertical arms being additionally rigidly interconnected by angularly disposed side or end members 33 and cross-bar 33a therebetween. `The rack 29 may support a lattice-work or perforate basket 34, mounted on the horizontal frame 31, which preferably is constructed of a plurality of transversely and longitudinally extending bars mounted in upright position or on edge in spaced relationship to each other and secured together by welding, or the like, in `a grill arrangement.` The horizontal frame 31 and vertical arms 32, 32a, 32b preferably are made up of angle irons, and the latter includes the pair of vertically disposed angle bars 32, 32a-spaced laterally from each other so as to be disposed each adiacent one of the tank guide members 28 whenthe rack 29 is mounted in the tank. Each of these vertical angle members 32, 32a has a Vpair of rollers pivotally mounted thereon in vertically spaced relationship to each other. The upper of eachsuch pair of rollers 36 is mounted slightly forward of the related lower roller 37, so that the two upper rollers 36 engage the respective guide members 28, while the two` lower rollers 37 engage the rear wall 13. when the vertical arms 32. 32a, 32b are in parallel relationship to the rear wall 13 of the tank. Thus it will be seen that, in addition to guiding vertical movement of the rack or tray 29.relative to the tank 11, these rollers 36, 37, the angle members 28 and the rear wall 13 also support the horizontal frame v31 and basket 34 against forward tiltingmovement. .Indicated at 28a is a second pair of angle members secured to the inner face of the wall 13 and having runners extending perpendicularly therefrom intoy the tank. The tray 29 has rollers 36a, 37a secured thereto for rotation between and against the opposing surfaces of the angle members 28a and thus in a plane perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rollers 36, 37. Thus the tray v29 isprevented from sideways movement also.

Means are provided for actuating the tray 29 to move the same between its lowermost full line position of Figure 2 and an upper position illustrated generally in Figure l, whereinthe upper edges of the basket 34 are spacedabove the marginal rails 18 of the tank. This tray-actuating means is indicated generally by reference numeral 38, and includes a double-acting pneumatic piston 39 encased within va vertically disposed cylinder 41 mounted on the tank-supporting surface to the rear of the tank and preferablysecured to the rear wall 13 by means of suitable brackets 42. The piston 39 has an elongated piston rod 43 secured thereto, the upper end of which is reversely bent relative to the main portion thereof, extends downwardly parallel thereto and is secured at its lower terminal portion in any suitable manner to the vertical arm 32b of the article-supporting rack or tray 29. This movement of the piston 39 in its cylinder 41'will be accompanied by similar vertical moved ments of the rack or tray 29 relative to the tank 11 and,

in preventing unwanted movements of the rack in anyV horizontal plane relative to the tank.

The cylinder 41 may be pivotally mounted, adjacent its lower end, to the tank 11 and bracket 42, as at 42a, to provide for ease in maintenance and repair without removal of the cylinder from the tank.

A suitable source of supply of air under pressure is provided for actuating the double-acting piston 39 which is illustrated herein as a main air line 44 (Fig. 1) any suitable compressor means being employed to supply the desired air pressure thereto but not being illustrated herein. The main air line 44 may have an auxiliary air line connected thereto for supplying compressed air to a standard manually operated cleaning nozzle. Connected in series in this main supply line 44 is a filter 46, a pressure gauge 47, an oiler 48, all of standard construction. Following the oiler 48 is a four-'way master control valve 50, which is the standard electrically controlled four-way air valve. The main air control solenoid valve 50 may direct the flow of air from the line 44 to an air conduit 51 interconnected between the master control valve 50 and the lower end of the main air cylinder 41, or to an upper air conduit 52 which interconnects the master control valve 50 and the upper end of the main cylinder 41. It will be understood that the air on the approaching side of the piston 39 is exhausted through the inlet lines 51, 52 and back through the main air valve 50.

A means to selectively effect control of air under pressure from the main supply line to the lower and upper ends of the cylinder 41 is illustrated in Figures l and 7.

Y, While it will be understood that a system of solenoids,

air valves, etc., may be employed for this purpose, I find the system shown to be preferable. generally indicates a master switch of the start-stop type and having the manually operable push-button start or down switch 61 and stop or up switch 62. Conduits leading from the switch 60 to the main air control valve 50 and therefrom to limit switches and 71 are indicated, respectively at 63, 64, 65.l The limit switches70-71 are secured to the rear wall 13 in vertical alignment adjacent the cylinder 41.

The .up limit switch 70 has pivoted thereon the switch arm 80. Rotatably mounted on the outer end of the switch arm is the cam-actuated roller 81. The down limit switch 71 has pivoted thereon a switch arm 82, having at its `outer end the cam actuated roller 83 in vertical alignment with the roller 81. Secured to the piston rod 43 adjacent the top bent portion thereof, as by the bracket 84, is the elongated rod 85 arranged in spaced parallel relationship with the vertical portion of the piston rod 43. Secured to the lower end of the rod 85 is the cam-block 86. When the tray 29 is mounted on or in the tank 11 the cam-block 86 is in vertical alignment with the rollers 81, 83. The cam 86 is effective to close the down limit switch 71 when the tray approaches its lowermost position and to close the up limit switch 70 when the tray 29 approaches its uppermost position. It will be realized that this closing of the limit switches 70-71, through appropriate electrical conduits, switches and timing devices, such as those illustrated inv Figure 7, is effective to reverse, through the main air valve 50, the direction of travel of the piston 39 and tray 29. When, on the other hand, the tray 29 is at either its full upper or lower position, the cam 86 has passed the rollers 81, 83 and the limit switches are rendered ineffective. It will be understood that the placement of the limit switches and the length of full stroke of the piston 39 are such that the limit switches 70-71 cause a reciprocation of the tray 29 within and adjacent a lower portion of the tank 11, that is to say, once the tray 29 reaches its uppermost position shown in Figurel it will remain there, having passed the limit switch 70, until the down switch the conduits 52 and 5I. The valves 90 and 91 may be adjusted' to determine the proper rateof flow of the `air `under pressure into the cylinder 41` to eiect the desired rate of movement of the piston 39 and therack. or tray 29. These valves 90' and 91 function to restrict the tlow ofair only in the direction toward the cylinder 41. Consequently, when the air supply' is fowing into the upper end of the cylinder 41, that air in the` lower portion `of the cylinder is exhausted therefrom through the lower conduit 51 and the rn'aster control valve 50. Conversely, when the air is being supplied through the lower conduit 51 to the lower end of the cylinder 41, the air previously supplied to the upper portion of the cylinder is exhausted therefrom through the` upper conduit 52 and the master controlvalve 50. It will be understood that the valve 50 is so designed as to effect alternate connection between the conduits 41 and 51 and connection of the conduit 52 to the atmosphere, and interconnection of the conduits 44 and S2 and connection of the conduit 51 to the atmosphere, for example through an exhaust 93 shown in Figure l. The weight of the rack or tray 29, the piston rod 43 and the piston 39, together with that of the articles being treated and supported by the tray, will assist the downward movement of the rack and retard its upward movement. Consequently, the tlow-governing valve 91 may be adjusted to compensate for these differences in component forces applied to the rack during raising and lowering, or a separate valve may be added in the conduit 51, restricting the exhaust ow of air from the lower portion of the cylinder 41 during downward movement of the rack. Thus the same rate of movement of the rack 29 downwardly will result as obtains during raising of the rack with the same ait pressure in the supply line.

As previously noted, if the treating iluid in the tank 11 or the residual thereof on articles being treated or the rack 29 should catch on re, the link 27 will be fused to release the latch 25 from the hook lever 24 to permit the covers 19 to fall into tank-closing position. However, if the rack or tray 29 is not in its lowermost position, the same will prevent closing of the covers 19. Means are provided, therefore, for automatically operat ing the abovedescribed control mechanisms, in the event of release of the covers 19 for closing, to effect movement of the rack or tray 29 to its lowermost position by the actuating mechanism 38. This rack-lowering control mechanism is automatically actuated during that initial portion of downward swinging movement of the covers 19 which may be made by the latter before any inten ference is had with the rack 29 when the latter is in its uppermost position. j j

Referring to Figure l, a switch 100 is mounted,` as by the pipe-conduit 101, on the upper wall of the main switch 60. Electrical wiring extends from the switch 100 through the pipe 101 to connect the switch 100into the electrical system. The switch 100 has a spring loaded switch arm or cam lever 103 extending upwardly therefrom and pivotally mounted thereon. A cam roller `104 is rotatably mounted at the upper end of the arm 103. Since the arm 103 extends above the upper level 18 of the tank adjacent one side thereof and since it is springbiased inwardly toward the tank, the roller 104 is held constantly in contact with the outer surface of a cover 19 when the covers are in upright position. As soon,

however, as the cover 19 begins to fall downwardly as a result of a fire, for example, the arm 103 snaps inwardly toward the tank 11, thus closing the switch 100 and, through appropriate circuits such as those indicated schematically in Figure '7, actuating. the downswitch 61 to cause theA tray 229 tn` move downwardly. Since this action would be ineftectivef the tray 29 were caused to rise immediately, as would be normalY due` to the action of the limit. switch. 71, the `actuation oi the switch 100, in effect, holds down, switchvl in and renders inoperative the limit switch 71 and thus permits the cam 86 to pass beyond the roller 83 and the `tray to reach its lowermost position,l where it remains` due to `the setting of the main valve 50 in the down setting. When it is desired to again raise the tray 29 it is necessary to raise the covers 19, thus deactivating thexswitch100, and to press the up switch 62,` which,..since the switch 100 is inoperative, renders the limit switch 71 again operative and the reciprocating action :will continuef;

It will be realized that whereas Ithavedescribed and illustrated a practical` and operative device, nevertheless, many changes may be made in the size .tshapeynumber and disposition of parts' `without departing from the spirit of my invention. I, therefore, wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to my precise showing.

I claim:

l. A dipping tank, comprising a liquid-containing tank having an upwardly open top, a hinged. cover for said top of said tank, a tray for supporting articles to be treated, tray actuating means mounted exteriorly of the tank and connected to said tray for moving the tray vertically into and out of the tank, control means for controlling operation of said actuating means, selectively operable control members for determining the direction of movement to be imparted to` said tray by said actuating means, a control member operating device mounted f' on said actuating means for operating said control members to automatically etect repeated vertical reciprocation of said tray by said actuating means for a relatively short distance adjacent the bottom of the tank, said control means including mechanism operable in response to movement of the cover toward closed position to automatically render inoperative said control member operating device and to terminate the operation of said actuating means when said tray is entirely below the top of said tank. j

2. A dipping tank, comprising a liquid-containing tank having an upwardly open top, a hinged cover for said top of said tank, a tray for supporting articles to be treated, tray actuating means mounted exteriorly of the tank and connected to said tray for moving the tray vertically into and out of the tank, control means for controlling operation of said actuating means, said control means including a manually operable member for initiating and terminating operation of said actuating means, selectively operable control members for determining the direction of movement to be imparted to said tray by said actuating means, a control member operating device mounted on said actuating means for operating said control members to automatically effect repeated vertical reciprocation of said tray by said actuating means for a relatively short distance adjacent the bottom of the tank, said control means including mechanism operable in response to movement of the cover toward closed position to automatically render inoperative said control member operating device and to move said manually operable member to terminate operation of said actuating means when said tray is entirely below the top of said tank.

3. In a liquid-containing tank having a tray for supporting articles to be treated, dipping mechanism, comprising actuating mechanism for moving said tray between an upper position for receiving the articles and a lower position within the tank to immerse the articles in the liquid therein, and control mechanism rendered automatically operable by said tray during its upward movement from said lower position to cause said actuating mechanism to return the tray toward said lower position before thearticles emerge from the liquid, a hinged cover on said tank and vautomaticshutoff means operatively con? nected with said cover and with said control mechanism and effective, .in response to movement of said cover toward closed position, to terminate operationof said actuating .mechanism-and said'control mechanism with said tray in its'lower position.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said automatic shutoff means'comprises a switch, said switch having a control arm. held in nonoperating position by said cover when lsaid cover is in its open position.

V5. Thestructure of claim 3 wherein said automatic shutoii= means comprises a spring-loaded switch having a controlarm held in non-switch-operating position by said cover when said cover is inits open position, said switch being electrically connected with said actuating mechanism and said control mechanism and effective, in responsefto movement of said cover toward its closed position, to direct said tray toward its lowermost posi,- tion and to terminate operation of said actuating mech'- anism and said control mechanism.

References Citedrin the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

